Turn The Power Off On Matthews

In times of disaster caused by natural elements, it is the human element that prevails.

Hurricane Sandy, which hit the five boroughs of New York City two weeks ago, left an unprecedented path of destruction.

Just over a week later, our nation voted for president, re-electing Barack Obama.

As the election results were being reported, MSNBC show host Chris Matthews remarked, “I’m so glad we had that storm last week, because I think the storm was one of those things. No, politically I should say, not in terms of hurting people. The storm brought in possibilities for good politics.”

Matthews was alluding to the recent visit Obama made to New Jersey where he met with Governor Chris Christie and how it helped Obama get re-elected.

Matthews’ comments were asinine at best and evil at worst, which is most likely.

What Matthews should have focused on was the outpouring of relief, the majority of which has come from within our own communities.

The neighborhoods of Breezy Point, Far Rockaway, Belle Harbor and major sections of the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island were decimated by the awful power of the storm. Hundreds of homes were not only damaged by wind, rain and storm surges, but also by fire, causing thousands to become homeless. More than 100 people are dead.

The response by the city and local officials has been immense. Libraries and city public schools, 56 to be exact, have been converted into shelters. Local community groups have donated and collected millions of dollars worth of food and clothing to those who just 16 days ago had everything and now have nothing.

People have been helping complete strangers, some even taking homeless families into their homes. The people of New York prevailed by helping each other.

Those not so fortunate have been reduced to sleeping in their cars or worse.

Mr. Matthews should have noted the fact that, as of this date, more than 30,000 LIPA customers on Queens’ Rockaway Peninsula remain without power. LIPA in Nassau County projects that it will not be until Thanksgiving when power is fully restored.

Other signs of generosity come also in the way of medical care. Doctors are going door to door in Brooklyn, Staten Island and in Southern Queens providing medical care for those who cannot make it to area hospitals.

These are acts of heroism and selfless courage that should have been the basis of his commentary so that it could have received the national attention that it deserves as people across America are still realizing the extent of what happened here.

The people of Queens are some of the heroes and we should thank God for them, not for a storm. We should be praying that no such storm ever hits anywhere in the world, let alone in the largest city in the U.S.

The thoughtless, insane and possibly evil comments by this so-called “commentator”, Chris Matthews, cannot go unnoticed and be condoned as mere political pandering on the part of someone who should know better. It is outrageous to minimize the severe loss of life and property that took place as a result of the storm by reducing it to such babble.

We suggest that viewers turn off the power on their TV when Mr. Matthews is making his toxic comments.